The 3rd Battalion
3rd Batt.
On November 2 the Battalion left St. Python, where it had been billeted, and moved up to Capelle.
The following officers in the 3rd Battalion took part in the operations from November 4 to 9:
The Battalion moved off early to bivouac at Capelle. After slipping and stumbling along a greasy chalk track, the companies reached their positions, and were told to dig in. This order was easier to give than to execute, for the men had only their light entrenching tools, which were ill suited for excavating a flinty chalk ground. A few shells came over to enliven the proceedings, but otherwise the day passed quietly. On the following day orders were received for an attack by the Guards Division, and battle stores were drawn.
Nov. 4.
On the 4th the Battalion started to take up its assembly positions in rear of La Flaque Wood, and was much hampered on the approach march by the crowded state of the roads and the congestion of traffic. On reaching Villers Pol, it was forced to halt, as the bridge across the Rhonelle had been destroyed, and the stream had to be crossed by a single plank. During the crossing a few high-explosive and gas shells were sent over, and the men had to put on their masks. Owing to the dense fog the Company Commanders experienced some difficulty in finding the way to the assembly positions, but fortunately they had been provided with the large-scale aeroplane reconnaissance maps, and were able to go unerringly by the shortest route. The attack was led by the 1st Battalion Coldstream, which had the 1st Guards Brigade (2nd Battalion Coldstream) on their left. The Battalion was to pass through the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, whilst the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards was to pass similarly through the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards, and to continue the attack across a gully and on to the villages and woods beyond. On the way No. 2 Company had some casualties from shell-fire.
Though somewhat late on account of the fog, the Battalion started off with No. 1 Company (under Lieutenant Campbell) on the right, and No. 2 Company (under Captain Adair) on the left, and advanced through Flaque Wood. Passing through the leading Battalions they found the 2nd Battalion Coldstream had occupied the frontage of the 2nd Guards Brigade, and throughout the day (as indeed throughout the whole advance) units were apt to incline to the right, owing to the fact that the enemy retirement was north-east, and the enemy units gave way more readily opposite our right flank.
Lord Lascelles had issued orders that he would move Battalion Headquarters to a sunken road, on the edge of the gully, two hours after the leading companies were timed to pass that spot. The approach of this road was shelled by a field-gun at short range, but fortunately the arable ground, on which the shells fell, was so soft that one of them bursting in the middle of Battalion Headquarters caused no casualties.
On arriving at the road, the leading companies did not advance beyond it, but at this moment the enemy were seen removing their gun, and a patrol from each company was hurried forward, down the gully, whilst Lewis guns were set to fire over their heads at the retiring gun.
On the far side of the gully an abandoned 5·9 was taken over by No. 1 Company, and on reaching the crest of the hill an enemy trench was found defended by machine-guns. Whilst reconnoitring to organise his attack, Captain Adair was wounded in the leg.
In the meanwhile the Sixty-second Division (on the right) had got well forward, and the right of No. 1 Company was able to push on whilst the left of No. 1 Company and the whole of No. 2 Company were held up. Second Lieutenant A. E. F. F. Strangways-Rogers, reconnoitring along the hedgerows on the right of No. 2 Company, was fatally wounded.
Lieutenant Campbell then organised an attack with his right platoon, under a barrage of smoke-bombs, which, though they were badly handled and burst innocuously in the air, so astonished the enemy that he abandoned the key to his position, and withdrew down his trench to a position in rear.
Farther on were some thick-set hedges, admirably adapted for a rear-guard action, and on reaching them Lieutenant Carstairs found there was only one gap sufficiently large to let one man through at a time. He led the way, followed by his platoon, and immediately came under fire from the left flank. While trying to locate the enemy, he was severely wounded, and as there were no stretcher-bearers available he had to lie where he was. Lieutenant Campbell on hearing this came up, and seeing that the men were lying bunched up together, ordered Lieutenant Gunther to straighten out the line, while he went to get a platoon to reinforce his right flank. The Germans were unpleasantly close, but their exact position had not yet been located. Lieutenant Gunther, having carried out his orders, went out to where Lieutenant Carstairs was lying on the ground, and was shot through the head.
Meanwhile the left of No. 2 Company was not in touch with the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards, and the enemy was trying to creep round that flank into the gully. Fortunately Lieut.-Colonel R. Bingham with a section of the Guards Machine Gun Regiment was there, and had managed by skilful sniping to hold them back. Lord Lascelles decided to bring up No. 3 Company under Captain de Geijer to protect that flank, and ordered the two leading companies to take advantage of the delay to eat their rations.
During this delay the enemy opposite No. 2 Company, finding their southern flank had been driven in, retired off the hill, and evacuated the greater part of the village of Preux, which lay below. As soon as his flank was secure, Captain Adair sent a platoon, under Lieutenant Fairbairn, forward, and this platoon occupied the northern end of the village without resistance. In No. 4 Company Lieutenant Godman was wounded.
The enemy still held a trench in front of the southern end of the village, but an attack launched by Lieutenant Campbell drove them out of a position, which was really untenable when the houses in their rear were held by us. They abandoned their machine-guns and their equipment.
There remained only a few detached houses at the southern end of the village, with a trench in front of them, to complete the capture of the line east of Preux, from which the following day's attack was to start. This position was approached down an open slope, and the attacking party was driven back, Lieutenant Campbell (the only officer left in No. 1 Company), Sergeant Bennett, Sergeant Stevenson, and Sergeant Valerio being wounded.
Lieutenant Campbell remained with his company, and organised a fresh attack to take place at dusk, but left the execution of it to Company Sergeant-Major Marks, who carried it out with great skill and resource. He captured the trench but not the houses, and consolidated his position.
Lord Lascelles ordered the attack on the houses to be postponed until 10 P.M., when it would be dark. This was accomplished without difficulty, and the jumping-off line for the next day's attack was completed. During the night Lieutenant F. Anson was sent to take command of No. 1 Company.
The casualties among stretcher-bearers had been particularly heavy, but Captain S. Phillimore did the work of four men in attending to the wounded and relieving the medical officer of some of his work, which owing to the shortage of stretcher-bearers was scattered all over the field.
Captain Adair and Lieutenant Campbell were afterwards specially mentioned by the Commanding Officer in his report of the operations, not only on account of the skill and courage they displayed in handling their companies, but also for their tenacity and courage in carrying on their duties for some hours after they were wounded.
Nov. 5.
On the 5th the 3rd Guards Brigade passed through, and continued the advance, while the Battalion remained behind at Preux, and was employed on salvage work.
Nov. 7.
On the 7th the Battalion was placed, at the last moment, on the left of the attack, but, owing to the state of the roads, it did not reach the line from which it was to start for the attack, until twenty minutes after the other Battalions had started. The enemy had, however, retired, and the objectives were occupied without opposition. Since the area allotted to the Battalion was in the Twenty-fourth Divisional Area, the Battalion was relieved by the 9th Battalion East Surrey Regiment, and went into support to the 2nd Guards Brigade at Audignies.
On the 8th the 2nd Guards Brigade was again ordered to continue the attack. The Battalion, being in support, moved off at 6 A.M., but was forced to halt west of Longueville, where the bridge had been demolished. After a bridge had been constructed by the Battalion the limbers were pushed across at once, and the companies crossed without difficulty. Billets in Malgarni were taken, until the news arrived that no farther move forward was likely that day, when the Battalion moved up north into Longueville. From despatches captured from the Germans it was known that a general retirement had been ordered that night, and the Brigadier asked Lord Lascelles whether his Battalion was fresh enough to attempt the capture of Maubeuge that night. He answered that it was, and the Battalion was ordered to advance along the main Maubeuge road. It was a very dark night; and a straight high road, often above the level of the surrounding fields, where the enemy might still be lurking, was not the best route to take, but as rapidity was the main point, Lord Lascelles moved the Battalion in advance-guard formation straight down the road, instructing the companies to occupy the ditches on either side of the road if attacked.
Although hampered by mine craters, the Battalion reached Maubeuge at 4 A.M., and occupied the town and citadel. It met no opposition, but three German officers and 35 men were taken prisoners. So rapid was our advance that Lieutenant Bunbury sent a platoon to capture a German field-gun still in action. This platoon got within 150 yards of the gun before it was taken away at a gallop. The only civilian Lord Lascelles was able to find above ground in Maubeuge was a priest, who told him that the enemy had all retired a few hours before the Grenadiers arrived, which confirmed the information extracted from the German despatches. The inhabitants came out in the morning, and welcomed the Battalion with the greatest enthusiasm.
On the 11th the cessation of hostilities was announced, and the Battalion attended a thanksgiving service.